Unison Herts

Wednesday 21st June 2006

Conference was quite slow today, with the usual items being talked about.  The guest speaker was Thabitha Khumalo from Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions.  She spoke about the struggle facing all trade unionists in Zimbabwe and that you could be arrested for just having trade unionist beliefs.

We then turned to the business of the day, which were Citizenship Rights, Organising for Growth and Organising for the Future.  All these motions where carried.

In the afternoon session, I was going to make my maiden Conference speech about Pensions.  After lots of confusion and many different speakers talking in favour of the motion as I was going to do, I decided not to make my speech.  Well there is always tomorrow.

Pensions was the biggest topic of the day and it brought excitement to the debate as one amendment was lost (first of Conference) and a card vote.  We supported the amendment and once the votes where counted, so did most of the hall.

The next motion was about Education and defending our schools against PFI and attacks from the Government.  The motion was carried.  PFI and Devolution - An Integrated Approach, was also carried.  As you can see, there is a variety of issues that UNISON campaign for on a daily basis, these motions confirm that our work must continue.

Today, Herts County Branch Delegates on your behalf, supported the Presidents Campaign to help Children in Africa dying of AIDS.  We purchased toiletries and some clothes as requested.  I have also bagged 400 bars of soap from the hotel to add to the collection.

Wicked Whispers

Which Delegate had a little too much Vodka before bedtime and in the middle of the night needed to go to the bathroom but instead of opening the toilet door found themself in the hallway and locked out of their bedroom.  Luckly enough.  along came a knight in shining armour, who helped them get back in their room.

As always keeping an eye out of all the action

Mark Deacon